Improvement in sewing-machines



. 2 Sheets-Slheet 1. MT.J.H-ALL1GAN.

`SEWING. MACHINE. i ,K No. 49,262. Patented Aug. 8, 1.865'.

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` 2 sneets-snet 2. T. J. HALLIGAN.

SEWING, MACHINE.

No. 49,262. Patented Aug. 8, laf.`

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,y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

anos. J. HALLIGAN, OE NEW YORK, N..Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN SEWING-MACHINEsf Specification forming part of'Letters Patent No. 49,262, dated August E, 1865 antedatcd February 8, 1865.

To all whom it may concern.- Be it known that I, THOMAS J. HALLIGAN, of New York city, county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Sewing-Machine for using VVaXcd Thread; and Ido herebydeclare that thetollowingisa full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, making a part of this specih'cation, in which- Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section through the center of my Vimproved machine. The red dotted lines show the rod and spring ot' the pressure-foot c. Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the machine. Fig. 3, Sheet 2, is a vertical transverse section througli Fig. l, taken in the plane indicated by red liiie wir. Fig. 4 isa transverse 'section taken in the verticalplane indicated by the course of red line y yin Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a perspective view ot' the open shuttle-carrier. same with the shuttle in its place. Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view of the shuttle-carrier. Fig.8 is a view of the face of' the shuttle. Fig. 9 is a topview of-the shuttle. Fig. l0 is atop view of the bobbin-frame ot' theshuttle. Fig. l1 is a vertical. section through the wax-cup and "lamp-chamber. Fig. 12 is a top View .of a device for smoothing the waxed thread. Fig.

13 is a vertical section through Fig. 12. Figs.v

14E show the form and construction ofthe needle which is used in my machine.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre- :spondfin g parts in the several figures.

This invention. relates particularly to improvements in adapting sewing machinery for using waxed thread, a iid also for waxin g the thread on its way from the bobbin to the needle, as will be hereinafter described.

To enableothers skilled in the art, to make and use my invention, l wil'l'describe its construction and operation. y

The frame for containing andsupport'iug the mechanism for making the stitches and waxf ing the thread consists ot' a table, A, and-an overhanging bracket, A', which parts maybe cast in one piece, or they may be castsepara-tely and then bolted together.

The needle and awl carrying bar A2 works in vertical guides in the forward part of ,the bracket A., as shown in Fig. 1, and receives a reciprocating motion from the horizontal shaft B through the medium of a pin, a, work- Fig. 6 is a top View ot' the ing in a heart-shaped slot., a', (shown inFigs. l'and 3.)

If desirable, other contrivances 4may be applied to the needle-bar for giving it the required movements. In rear of this needle-bar A2, and inclosed within thehollow bracket A', is a drum, a?, which is keyed on shaft B, and which has formed around itan oblique groove, b, that receives a friction-roller on thelower end ot' an oscillating arm, B', which is pivoted to the outside of bracket A', and, projecting some distance above the same, carries a grooved roller, b', on its upper horizontal portion. The object otthis Oscillating arm is to take up the slack thread and keep the thread from the npper spool, B3, always under tension, as willbe hereinafter further described. Still further in rear of the needle-bar A2, and also keyed to the shaft B, is a cam, b3, which givesan inten. mittent motion to a spring-rod that carries on its forward end a pressurefoot, c', theobject -of which is to hold the work down upon the table A during the upward movement of the needle-bar, and thuspreventing the needle from Acarrying up the work when it rises. This pressure-loot is formed on or applied to the jointed vertical portion of the spring-rod c, as represented in Figs. l and 4, and as theV shaft B rotates the cam b3 forces the toot down, allowing it to rise again at the proper time for ,feeding the work forward on the table by the recoil of the spring'portion of said rod, or 'of a spiral spring, C". `Near the rear end of the shaft Ba pinion spur-wheel, d, is keyed, which engages with the teeth of a larger spurwheel, d', that gives motion to a. spur-wheel, d2, on the longitudinal shaft `G,which is arranged benath the bed-plate of the table, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. The shaft C thus receives a rotary motion from the main shafty B through themedium of spur-wheels which are inclosed within the frame of the machine.`

A crank-arm, C, is keyed on the forward end ofthe shaft C, for the purpose of communicatin g a reciprocating motion to the shuttle-frame through the medium of the pitman G2, (shown in Figs. l, 2, and3 and a cam, Chis also keyed to said shaft at an intermediate point between the legs of table A, for the purpose of giving a vibrating motion to a horizoutallever, D'. This lever is pivoted to a fixed blockheneath the bed of the table by means ot'a pin,e, which passes through a longitudinal slot indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 2. The object of thus pivoting the lever l) to the machine is to allow it to be adjusted longitudinally by means of a transverse lever, D. p

The forward end of leverD carries a pawl, e', which isvacted upon by a spring, e2, for keeping it in its place upon the ratchet-wheels f f of theI feed-wheel E. When it is d esired to change the pawl c' from the ratchet-wheelfto the wheel'f, or from f tof, the operator disengages this pawl by depressing the lever E',

(shown clearly in Fig. 4,) and then adjusts the lever D back or forward by means of the lever D.

' Theratchet-teeth of 'the two wheelsff differ in length, and hence by c a-nging the pawl e from one of these wheels to the other'a difference in thelength of the st'itches will'be prof uced. Theseratchet-whrels may be made to form a part of thefeed-wheel E, or they may be made separate 'and secured to said wheel or to a turning shaft upon which the feed-wheel may be keyed.

In the drawings, Fig. 1, the feed-wheel E, with its friction-drum g, and the ratchet-wheels are made in one piece, and applied so as to turn freely in one direction on a tixed stud, g', which projects from an adjustable block thatis supported by a Vfixed bracket, g2, (shown in Figs. 1 and 2.) This feed-wheel ,is prevented from turning backward by means ot'a friction-clamp, G, which is acted upon by an ad j ustin g-screw, g3. The clamp is made ot' spring metal, and prevents, by its pressure upon the drum g, thefeedwheel from being moved backward. By adjusting the screw g3 the clamp G can be made to act with greater or less friction or pressure upon the periphery ofthe drum g.

The feed-wheel is inclined, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, for the purpose ot' giving greater access to the contrivances for making tite stitch, and also tor the purposeof introducing a lamp, G, under the table, in such a position that its flame will iinpinge upon the face-plate of the shuttle-race, as will be hereinafter described. As the feed-wheel is inclined from a vertical plane its roughened edge will have to be beveled, so as to work in a plane parallel with the surface of the table at the point where this feedwheelis exposed above the surface of this table for the purpose ot' feeding the work under the j needle. i

In Figs. 5, 6, and 7,1 have 4represented a shuttle-carrier which I have constructed with the view of facilitating the passage of the shutin passing through the looped. threadJ construct an open or skeleton frame for-supporting the shuttle H, asfollows'; I h h represent two stirrups which project below the overhanging and curved edge h of the slide I, and, being arranged at the proper distance apart, these stirrups support two very narrow and rounded parallel bars, i' i', the forward ends of which are curved, united together and depressed, as shown in Figs. 5 and?. At the rear' end of this frame is a convex abutment, jl, for preventing the shuttle from being thrust backward. This abutment is so formed that when the butt of the shuttle, which should also be rounded, touches it the point of contact will vbe very slight, and hence very little friction will be occasioned by the loop of waxedl thread at'this point; and it will also be seen that the two supporting-bars i i will offer very little resistance to the passage of the shuttle through the loop. There are only three points in'my-shuttlc-frame which offer any resistance t0 the free lnovement 0f' the shuttle through y the loop, and these points are greatly reduced' by for-ming the open skeleton-trame. Still they serve all the purposes of a support for `.the shuttle.

The spring k is intended to press thepoint ofthe shuttle up'gently against the vertical surface of the face-plate J, so that the shuttle will always take the loop ofthe upper thread as it passes| the needle; and the finger k', which pro-- jects over the forward-part of the shuttle and over an indentation, k2, in the she-lief' the shuttle, is Vintended for preventing the point of the latter from rising too high or working out of its place in the frame.

From the outer bar, fi, of the shuttle-frame depends an oblong needle-sheath, J', the upper portion as well as the ends of which are open, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5. This sheath is arranged in such relation to the point of the shuttle that it will always receive-'the point of the needle and keep the latter in a proper position to allow the point ofthe shuttle to catch the loop. Sometimes the needle will become slightly bent in sewing heavy work, and the object ofthe sheath J is to receive and -guide the point of the needle and keep it in its proper position until the needle-bar begins to rise, or until theshuttle takes the loop.

' Fig. 11 Sheet 2, is a vertical section through .awaiting-box, which isapplied to the face ofthe bracket A', as represented in Fig. 1, Sheet 1. This box is provided with a block of india-rub ber, l,in'its bottom, and also with a tube, l,which latter is open at its bottom to allow the wax which is put into the cup H to rise and fill this tube, so that the thread which passes down through it will be exposed to the soft wax. By means of the tube l a small quantity of wax is subjected to the frictional heating contact of the thread, and it `(the thread) is very eiectually waxed. The tube also serves as a guide 'by which to readily pass the thread through the wax to the hole in the rubber at the bottom ofE the cup.l Itis a difficult thing to get the thread down to and through the eye of the rubber if this tube is not provided in the cup. The tube is set free above the bottom of the cup, and

hence the ready flow of the wax into the tube..

It is also fitted to the metal 4side of the waxcup, and,being metalitself, theheatwillbeconducted all around the wax in the tube. and by this means and the rapid vibration ofthe thread in the tube the wax immediately in the tube will be kept soft enough for theA purpose intended, and undersome circumstancessotter than thelarger quantityofwax in the cup. The thread is passed through a hole made in the rubber bottom l', and thence through the eye .of the needle, m, as shown in Fig. 1. y

On one side of the waxeup is a box,n, which is adapted for containingalampor gas-burner, and so confining the hea-t of the ame as to keep the wax in cup H always in a liquid state. The wax-cup is -secured to the bracket A in such relation to the needle m that the take-np lever B 4will draw ,the thread back and forth through this cup, and thus rewax-the thread after every down ward stroke ofthe needle-bar. It has been found that the thread will have its wax scraped ott by passing several times through the leather which is beingsewed, and hence the importance of rewaxing the thread after it has once passed through the work with the needle. The take-up baror lever B' draws the thread up through the waxing-cup as the needle-bar rises, and nearly all that portion of the thread which was between the'bottoin of the wax-cup and the eye of the needle will'be drawn back through said cup again and rewaxed.

In Figs. l2 and 13I I have represented a circular metallic clamp, p, containing within it a circular block of indiarubber. By means of the adj usting-screw p', which is applied to the ears ot' said clamp, the rubbe'r'p2 can be compressed to any desired extent. This rubber block is intended to serve as a means for-compressing the wax into the body of the thread which passes through it, and at the same time to smooth the waxed thread, and at the same time clear it of all superfluity of wax, and for this purpose this rubber block p2 may constitute the bottom of the waxing-cup, or it maybe interposed between said cup and the needle ng. The advantage of the circular clamp is that it compresses the rubberblock uniformly aboutthe thread passing throughit. 4 p l In Fig. 3, Sheet 2, I have represented a contrivance for keeping the work down on the feedwheel and allowing the work to be moved under the needle 'by said wheel. This pressure-plate consists ot a curved foot, r, which is formed on the .lower end of a narrow spriugstrip,l r', which is pivoted at t' to the'bracket A', and projects npward nearly to the top of said bracket. The. upper end of this' spring 1 is forked, and receives between the prongs of'theforka screwrod, r2, which ispivoted at d" to the-bracket A', and receives on its outer end `a screw-nut,

s. By means of this nut s the upper end of the spring-1'l can be set up nearerto the bracket A', which adjustment Vwill depress the curved foot -r and cause it to act with a spring-pressure'upon the work. This elastic pressure is derived from the foot r, aswell asv its'leverstrip r', and consequently the foot?- will be allowed to yield and accommodate itself to the varyingthickness ot' the work passednn'der it without greatly augmenting the pressure thereupon. By simply raising the outer end ofthe screw-rod r? out of the fork in the upper end ot' the spring-lever rJ and drawing this end backward the foot r on its .lower end will be thrown up out of the way.

In Figs.'8, 9, and 10 I-have represented the shuttle which I usefor carrying the lower bobbin. The shuttle-case `H may be made of any desirable form adapted to the skeleton shuttlecarrier which I have above* described. Through the top of this shuttle-ease H is an oblong opening, t, terminating at itsrear end in a concave depression, 1.',in the case, as shown' in Fig. 9. Two bars, t2 t2, extend transversely across the forward part of the opening t, over and under which bars the thread from the bob bin u is passed.

The use of two bars instead of one, as in my patent August 18, 1863, is toobvia-te the dii'e culty from thethread overriding or' interfering at one point with another point thereof, which, when it does, causes extra tension and'removal of .the wax from the thread before it reaches theeloth. When only one bar is used the thread requires to have a complete hitch or coil around it, und consequently overriding cannot well be prevented. The use'of the second bar near the bobbin is equivalent in elfe'ct to the complete hitch or ,coil on the single bar, as will be evident when it is considered that the bobbin is below the plane ofthe bars and the thread moves in an oblique direction. The space t and depression t are equal in width to the length of the bars, and therefore the thread from the bobbin has a chance to traverse back and forth the full length of the bobbin or 4of the bars.

The bobbin u ispivoted by means of conical pins between the open ends of a metal frame, '21, the opposite ends of which are united, as shown in Fig. l0. This forms a spring-frame for'the bobbin and enables me. to usc an adjusting-screw, w, for contracting its openends Vand increasing the friction on the `bearings of the bobbin at pleasure. The. tendency of this frame v is to open and release the bobbin; but by means o t' the transverse screw w this frame is contracted so'as to keep the bobbn between its open ends and to allow the latter toturu with more or less freedom. The part r ot' my bobbin holder serves as a means for eiosing the opening ot' the shuttle designed for the .introduction of the bobbin "and its frame, the said part', when inthe opening, beingjustflush with the i'ace ot' the shuttle. Thus an extra cap is dispensed with and a very ready withdrawal -har in the usual manner; but the needle m is constructed as represented in the enlarged views, Fig. 14. This needle is wedge-pointed, and on 'one side ot' the beveled point it is grooved both above and below the eye` 1, as shown at 2, the lower portion, 5, being so cut Aaway upward toward the groove 3 as that the eye shall, as lar as practicable, incline in a direction approaching the axis of the needle, instead of transversely ofthe saine, as usually. 0n the opposite beveled surface th groove 3 should not extend down below the eye, and this groove 3 gradually increases in depth as i it extends above the eye, l, and thenterminates at 4, about an inch and a half or two inches from the eye. By thus constructing the needle it will be seen that I leave a sufficient body of metal belou` the eye 1 to insurel strength and at-the same time give a nearly direct line to the thread through the eye-i. e., the thread passes through the eye 1 nearlyin a line with the axis of the needle-and hence there will be very little resistance offered .by the thread as the needle enters the work.

In Fig. 1 I have represented a lamp, G', applied beneath the 'shuttle-frame, so that its l'laine will impinge upon' the lower edge ot' the plate J, against which thetlat face of the shuttle works. rlhe heat from .this flame will keep the plate J warm, and consequently prevent any wax which may adhere to it from interfering with the free movements ot'said shuttle. Instead ot'a lamp, agas-burner may be 'arranged so that its tlamewlll operate as stated.

' In conjunction' with the contrivances l'or regulating the length of feed according to the length 0f stitch desired, l have provided for adjusting the awl m' nearer to orvfarther from the needle, so as to adapt its position to. the stitch required. 'lhis may be done by forming an eccentric enlargement on the upper end ot' the awl m', as l haverepresented in Fig. 15, Sheet 2, which exhibits a vertical and also a transverse section ot' the needle-bar with its needle and awl and eccentric, the small dotted circle in the larger circle of the transverse section representing the awl when turned. farthest away troni theneedle; or the awl may be secured to a slide which lis adjusted by means ot' a' set-screw tapped through a portion of the needle-bar. lntheformerinstancetwostitches of dilerent lengths can be made by turning the enlargementon the a-wl half round. InV the latter case a' variety of stitches ot' diierent lengths can be made, provided a number of ratchetwheels are employed beneath the bedplate of the machine.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters 1.V Waxing thread on its way to the needle by passing the thread through awaxcup which isprovided withan elastic bottom, l, and also with means for keeping the wax in the cupin a fluid state, substantially as described.

2. The elastic bottom l and the guide-tube l', which is attached to the wall ot' the waxcup H', applied together in the'constructiouof a sewing-machine, substantially as described.

3. The combination ofthe take'up B',needle bar A2, waxing contriva-nce H', and shaft B, substantially in the manner described, i'or the purpose of rewaxing the thread, as set forth.

4. The manner shown of arranging the vi brating take up arm B' in connection with the shaft B, and operating this arm by means of this shaft B, which is arranged at right angles to the line of feed, and which also operates the needle-bar, substantially as desclibed.

5. Holding the work down upon the table during the upward movement of the needlebar by means of a pressure-foot.c3, which rises at the proper time to allow the work to be fed under thel needle, and which is located to one side of the needle and ot' the pressure-pad, and is operated by the devices as described.

6. The hinged screw-rod r2 and adjustingnut. s, applied to the open forked end of the pressuredever r', substantially as described.

7. So applying the awl m' to the needle-bar A2 that this awl canbe adjusted and set nearer to or farther from theneedlc m, according to vthe lengthot' stitch required, substantially as described. Y

8. The use ot' the vibrating and longitudinally-adjustable lever D, in combination with the shaft C and.pawl e', for giving motion to the-feed-wheel E, substantially as described.

t). The combination of levers D', E', and l), tor adjusting the pawl e', substantially as described.

l0. The use of two or more ratchet-wheels having teeth of dilerent length, in combination with a feed-wheel, E, and adjustable spriu gclamp G, substantially as described.

11. ln the construction ot' a skeleton o1 open shuttle-carrying frame, the combination of the stirrups h h, bars t i, rear abutment, j, and spring k, these parts being formed and ar` ranged in the manner and for the purpose described.

' 12.k rlhe use ot' two or more transverse bars, t2 t?, within a space, t, of a shuttle, for the purpose of creating tension upon the lower thread 'of a sewing-machine, combined with the de pression t3, for allowing the thread to traversel .laterally back and forth the full length of the bobhin and preventing the thread from overriding, as heren described and set forth.

13. A device for smoothing the wax-thread on its way to the needle, consisting o' a metallic clamp, p p', constructed and operating as described, and encircling a rubber block, p2, through which the thread'passes 14. A needle for using Wax-thread which is formed with a groove, 2, extending above and below the eye on onesde, and a groove, 3, ex-

ln tending only above the eye on the opposite the place where the leather is being sewed by side, and with its eye inclined as far as pracmeans of a lamp or burner, applied substanticable in a direction approaching the axis of tia-lly as and for the purposes set forth.

the needle, and otherwise constructed substan- T. J. HALLIGAN. tially asl and for the purpose set forth. Witnesses: 15. Heating that part of the face ofthe shut- WILLIAM H. TILTON,

tier-ace plate which is in close proximity to W; S. PINCKNEY. 

